Actor So Ji Sub’s Instagram following list is shockingly short, and the one name on it has a story that goes back long before his marriage.
The actor recently revealed why he follows only one person on Instagram, and the answer was much more touching than fans may have expected. In the latest episode of SBS’s My Little Old Boy, So Ji Sub appeared as a special guest for the show’s 500th episode and opened up about his special bond with actor Song Seung Heon.
During the episode, the MCs asked So Ji Sub, “You only follow one person on social media. Is that person Song Seung Heon?” Aside from his agency, Song Seung Heon is reportedly the only person So Ji Sub follows on Instagram.
So Ji Sub confirmed the story and explained just how much Song Seung Heon means to him. “He is like a benefactor to me,” So Ji Sub said. The reason goes back to So Ji Sub’s early days before he became one of Korea’s most recognizable actors.
I look up to him. Back when I wasn’t financially stable, I lived in Incheon with my mother and older sister, and I commuted to Seoul. The transportation fare felt like such a waste. Then, one day, I told hyung about it, and he said, ‘Come over and sleep here anytime.’
— So Ji Sub
According to So Ji Sub, Song Seung Heon opened his home to him, and Song Seung Heon’s mother even prepared meals for him. “After that, he became someone really precious to me,” So Ji Sub said.
The young Song Seung Heon (left) and So Ji Sub (right), who went on to become best of friends.
Shin Dong Yup, who was also on the show, added another story about the two actors’ early days. He recalled meeting So Ji Sub while filming the 1998 MBC sitcom Three Guys And Three Girls, when Song Seung Heon brought him along. However, Shin Dong Yup admitted that his first impression of So Ji Sub was not exactly accurate.
“He was wearing ripped jeans, had a bunch of accessories on, and his hair was dyed, so I thought he was a delinquent,” Shin Dong Yup said. He added, “I even told Song Seung Heon, ‘Be careful of people who look rich and like delinquents.’” But the truth was the complete opposite.
It turned out he didn’t have money, and he was a really kind and sincere young man!
— Shin Dong Yup
Read more:
How Marriage Changed Legendary Actor So Ji Sub’s Life